4040 Agency

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of a company that offers luxurious bath, body, and home products, thoughtfully formulated and carefully crafted for a premium self-care experience.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with 4040 Agency?

We needed help with our show presence and marketing materials for the largest trade show of the year, which was a major investment for us. We needed to articulate our brand values and propositions effectively to be successful.We needed people we trusted to evaluate our brand and tell us what was missing, what we needed to do better, and how we needed to change to reach our financial goals.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

4040 Agency provided strategies and design for our trade show booth, branding, and strategy and design for our catalog and marketing materials. They designed the catalog and printed wall graphics for the booth.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 2–5 teammates from 4040 Agency.

How did you come to work with 4040 Agency?

We’ve known and worked with John and Michelle for years. We chose 4040 Agency because their pricing fit our budget, they were a great culture fit, and our company values aligned. Since we had worked with them in the past, we knew the level of work and guidance they could provide our small but growing brand.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from April–July 2025.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We had a very successful show where we opened 20+ new accounts. We also got lots of feedback from trade show attendees about how much they loved our booth and the graphics. They were eye-catching and drew people in, which was very important in a very crowded show space with lots of other brands.We also got rave reviews on our new catalog.

How did 4040 Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

They set a schedule for a very tight delivery window and delivered on time, even dealing with some production issues that had to be worked around. We communicated via virtual meetings, email, and messaging apps.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The level and quality of their work were impressive. We worked with some of the smartest and most talented people in the industry. Their organization was impressive; they put together a plan and delivered on it.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing they could have done better or differently.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Creative Director of MassMutual

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Insurance, investing, and financial planning

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire 4040 Agency to accomplish?

• Announce a new focus on MassMutual's health and wellness initiative through a partnership with NHL veteran Nick Foligno.

SOLUTION

How did you find 4040 Agency?

• Referral
• Have worked with 4040 before and since

Why did you select 4040 Agency over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned
• Proven creative excellence

How many teammates from 4040 Agency were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

To help announce a deepening focus on the health and wellness of our policyowners, we wanted to leverage our NHL partnership and create a video that would play at the WInter Classic and live on social channels, as well as on a landing page about the initiative. The deliverables included a longform video, multiple cutdowns, and social posts.

We brought Chicago Backhawks left wing Nick Foligno to 4040 after identifying him as a good subject for the campaign, and they concepted agians his story, personality, and career. They presented three very strong video/campaign concepts and we moved ahead with "Live Every Minute."

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

First and foremost, the video gave us a powerful in-game presence for the 40,000-plus-person crowd at the 2025 Winter Classic at Wrigley Field. Across organic social, where the video was launched following the game, it outperformed 2024 social benchmarks across LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram. It resonated with our audience with +62.99% in LinkedIn Reach, +35.21% in LinkedIn Engagements, +221.33 in YouTube Reach and +147.58% in YouTube engagements compared to 2024 benchmarks across MassMutual's content. 

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Despite the deliverables being fairly straightforward, the project was deceptively tricky and complex. Elements included negotiating the schedule of a busy NHL starter, finding a suitable filming location that worked geographically, and navigating the demands and requirements of not only the NHL but its union, the NHLPA. Additionally, the timeline was rushed, with no more than three weeks from kick-off to final cut. But 4040 hit every mark. Goals shifted, complications arose, and the clock never stopped ticking, but they were nimble, responsive to our needs, concerns and feedback, and cool under pressure.

What was your primary form of communication with 4040 Agency?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

4040 works fast, travels light, and is built for speed and efficiency, which many agencies promise, but few deliver. But there's no compromise on creative quality of strategic thinking. They're uniquely able to hold both the small and big pictures in their colelctive head at all times. This is a hell of a thing to be able to do, honestly.

Are there any areas for improvement or something 4040 Agency could have done differently?

Sincerely, nothing.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the VP of Business Development of Fortress

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Fortress is a sports technology company that leads the market by connecting 4 key team benefits: access, loyalty, payments and sponsorship. Ultimately, we have the technology that increases team and venue revenue.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire 4040 Agency to accomplish?

• Brand Refresh
• Updated positioning
• Brand visual toolkit

SOLUTION

How did you find 4040 Agency?

Previous engagements

Why did you select 4040 Agency over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned
• Proof of Work, results

How many teammates from 4040 Agency were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Create a Consolidated Brand Visual Toolkit using Fortress’s existing brand identity, color palette and visual tools, but refreshed brand positioning copy created by 4040, create a unified set of assets for company-wide use, including a standardized email signature, a presentation deck template featuring 4–6 introductory pages that highlight Fortress’s positioning and value proposition, a consistent branded footer for decks and presentations, and a lockup of the Fortress logo with the “Count Every Fan, Every Fan Counts” tagline and with the new tagline “The Standard You Count On

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

N/A Project Ongoing 

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

In over 25 years in marketing, branding, media, and tech, I have never worked with a more on-time, better communicator, and receptive partner.

What was your primary form of communication with 4040 Agency?

Virtual Meeting

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

I worked with them previously, and the work product and team are even better 20 years after our first engagement. They have fantastic leadership, staff, and a culture that is envied by all. I would never work with anyone else.

Are there any areas for improvement or something 4040 Agency could have done differently?

They say, "There is no such thing as perfect," so I guess they could do some things differently, but I am hard pressed to find them. Keep doing what you are doing; it is great work, and it is appreciated and valued. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of WOC Retail Alliance, a community-building nonprofit that advocates for meaningful, inclusive pathways for women in retail — from entry-level roles to leadership — through mentorship, coaching, networking, and education.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with 4040 Agency?

I hired 4040 Agency to help us create a brand and deck for our inaugural industry summit.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

4040 Agency designed the main icon for the WOCRA B.I.G. Summit. They also created an initial deck, but in the end, we used the icon design as the centerpiece for all summit marketing.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 2–5 teammates from 4040 Agency.

How did you come to work with 4040 Agency?

They were referred to me, and their company values aligned with ours.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together in February–March 2025

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

The fact that we used the icon and included 4040 Agency in the summit brand review was a success. Sponsors and attendees alike described the icon as innovative and inspirational.

How did 4040 Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

I enjoyed working with 4040 Agency. They delivered on time, even though it was evident that they were swamped.

What did you find most impressive about them?

4040 Agency’s kindness, willingness to do whatever it takes, and teamwork were impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there weren’t any.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I wish we had more budget to pay 4040 Agency.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Head of Creative/ECD of MassMutual

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Financial Services. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire 4040 Agency to accomplish?

• Helping us articulate our messaging.

SOLUTION

How did you find 4040 Agency?

Referred

Why did you select 4040 Agency over others?

• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from 4040 Agency were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Brand and product work for our partnership with the Boston Red Sox as well as our communications to our field. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Overall satisfaction with the work. 

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Excellent and seamless collaboration. Everything on time and great. 

What was your primary form of communication with 4040 Agency?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The integrity, worth ethic, talent, and tenacity of the people at 4040 Agency are impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement or something 4040 Agency could have done differently?

None that I can think of. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Senior Manager, Integrated Marketing of MassMutual

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Provide financial planning and protection services to financial professionals working with an economic range of clients. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire 4040 Agency to accomplish?

• To position a large, local sport sponsorship as an enterprise-wide and business driving solution to our advisors.

SOLUTION

How did you find 4040 Agency?

Referral

Why did you select 4040 Agency over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from 4040 Agency were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

4040 helped us design and execute a B2B strategy for a largely B2C sponsorship to help prove ROI of multi-year deal. They helped us tap into key personalities that could work across our different business distributions, digging into the mind of an advisor and third party distributor to see how this sponsorship could support their business day-to-day. 4040 helped create social assets, long and short form video assets to be used across digital ecosystem and a highly-designed and thoughtful hospitality execution and pitchbook for us to leverage with our business partners. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We primarily measured engagement and click rates for this campaign because for our B2B audience, and for such a niche program, we didn't need to measure impressions and scale. For a sports sponsorship campaign (and our first to-date created specifically for B2B) , we outperformed our KPIs. 

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

4040 Agency is always timely, thoughtful, and present when working with us on any deliverables. They are action and solution oriented and embody what a true client + agency partnership should look like. 

What was your primary form of communication with 4040 Agency?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

4040 took no time in rolling their sleeves up to better understand our audiences. Our work and our different range of B2B audiences are convoluted and are unique for our industry. 4040 didn't balk at the challenge but instead embraced it and took every opportunity to learn more about the business and why certain feedback was important. 

Are there any areas for improvement or something 4040 Agency could have done differently?

No, I think 4040 continues to evolve their model and bring in the right talent for the project which allows them to be nimble, continue to be creative and have the right people for the job.